Refuse collection system, refuse collection truck and loader assembly therefor

Abstract

An improved loader apparatus for a refuse collection truck or vehicle which includes a vertical rail assembly, a carriage apparatus mounted for vertical up and down movement along the rail assembly, a single length of drive chain for lifting and lowering the carriage apparatus between a home or down position and a dump or up position, a hydraulic motor system for driving the drive chain such that the refuse container-engaging apparatus carried by the carriage assembly can be position laterally outwardly therefrom for operatively engaging a refuse container to be emptied. The system includes a feedback system for controlling the speed, acceleration and deacceleration of the pick-up, transporting, emptying, lowering, and releasing cycle for minimizing cycle time while simultaneously maximizing the dumping efficiency of the system. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention an improved refuse collection vehicle having a plurality of individual different and distinct refuse storage bins each designated for receiving one and only one type of refuse therein such as glass, aluminum cans, plastics, other metals, garbage, trash, paper, and the like, or one and only one predetermined mix of such types. A plurality of refuse containers are located at each pick-up site, and each includes indicia for identifying the particular type or type mix of refuse contained therein for bin-selection purposes. The improved refuse collection truck of the present invention includes an improved loader assembly which has a longitudinal positioning system for selectively positioning the rail assembly and carriage assembly, including the operatively engaged refuse container to be emptied, longitudinally along the side of the vehicle to a position adjacent the particular bin designated for receiving the particular type of contents identified as being within the selected refuse container, and an automated system for longitudinally positioning, lifting, emptying, transporting, lowering, restoring and releasing the emptied refuse container to its orignal or another suitable position at the pick-up site.

I claim: 
     
       1. An improved loader apparatus for a refuse truck including a bed having an open top loading station and a refuse storage area, said open top loading station including means operatively disposed at the one end thereof for moving the refuse emptied into said open top loading station into said refuse storage area and compacting same therein, said loader apparatus being utilized for lifting a refuse container and emptying the contents thereof into said open top loading station for refuse collection purposes, said improved loader apparatus comprising: a rail guide assembly fixedly secured substantially at one exterior side of the bed and the frame of said refuse truck adjacent said open top loading station, said rail guide assembly including means for forming a set of roller wheel tracks and means for forming a drive chain track, said rail guide assembly further including an elongated, substantially vertical lower end portion and an arcuately turned upper end portion having its distal end terminating downwardly in the direction of the open top of said open top loading station;   carriage means including a set of roller wheel means for moving along said set of roller wheel tracks of said rail guide assembly, said carriage means including an interior carriage support means including said roller wheel means for up and down movement along said set of roller wheel tracks of said rail guide assembly, an exterior carriage support means, and extension/retraction means operatively connected between said interior and exterior carriage support means for extending and retracting said exterior carriage support means horizontally with respect to said interior carriage support means and for connecting said exterior carriage support means to said interior carriage support means for generally vertical up and down movement therewith along said set of roller wheel tracks, said extension/retraction means having a closed fully-retracted home position and a fully-extended pick-up position in which said interior carriage support means and said extension/retraction means are laterally spaced from said interior carriage support means;   gripping means operatively carried by said exterior carriage support means and having an opened position for operatively receiving a refuse container therein and a closed position for grippably retaining said refuse container for refuse collection purposes;   a single finite length of drive chain having first and second opposite end portions which are unconnected from one another, said drive chain being operatively housed at least partially within said drive chain track for up and down movement therealong;   means for driving said drive chain along said drive chain track and including means for operatively controlling the speed, acceleration and deacceleration thereof;   means operatively coupled to said interior carriage support means for removably coupling and uncoupling said carriage means to said drive chain for vertical up and down movement therewith;   cam means having a cam shaft operatively driven by said driving means and having an outer peripheral cam surface thereon;   cam follower means responsive to the contour of said outer peripheral cam surface of said cam means for at least partially controlling the speed, acceleration and deacceleration of said chain drive means; and   means operatively coupled to said extension/retraction means, said gripping means, said chain drive means, said carriage coupling means, and said valve means for selectively controlling the operation thereof.   
     
     
       2. The improved loader apparatus of Claim I wherein said means for driving said drive chain along said drive chain track includes: a hydraulic motor;   means for controlling the operation and speed of said hydraulic motor;   a motor drive shaft having one end portion operatively coupled to and rotated by said hydraulic motor;   a chain drive sprocket gear operatively mounted on the opposite end portion of said drive shaft for rotation therewith, said chain drive sprocket gear having sprocket-engaging means on the outer peripheral edge thereof for driving said chain.   
     
     
       3. The improved loader apparatus of claim 2 wherein said driving means further includes timing gear means operably coupled to said motor drive shaft for rotation therewith, and means operably coupling said timing gear means to said cam shaft for rotating same. 
     
     
       4. The improved loader apparatus of claim 1 wherein said extension/retraction means includes a scissors assembly. 
     
     
       5. The improved loader apparatus of claim 4 wherein said cam shaft includes a driven gear operatively mounted thereon for rotating same and said cam shaft rotating means includes a first endless loop means operatively mounted over said timing gear means and said driven gear for rotating said cam shaft in proportional synchronism with the rotation of said motor drive shaft. 
     
     
       6. The improved loader apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cam follower means includes: support means fixedly secured to said refuse truck for supporting said cam follower means;   an elongated arm assembly having one end portion, an opposite end portion, and an intermediate portion therebetween;   pivot pin means for mounting said opposite end portion of said elongated arm assembly to said support means for pivotal movement with respect thereto;   follower means operatively mounted to said one end portion of said elongated arm assembly for maintaining continual contact with said cam surface and moving said elongated arm assembly back and forth about said pivot pin means as said follower means tracks the contour of said outer peripheral cam surface;   biasing means having one end portion operatively anchored to the intermediate portion of said elongated arm assembly and an opposite end portion operatively anchored at a fixed location for continuously urging said follower means against the outer peripheral surface contour of said cam means;   a contact means operatively secured to said opposite end portion of said elongated arm assembly adjacent said pivot means for backward and forward movement with said elongated arm assembly;   control valve means for at least partially controlling the speed, acceleration and deacceleration of said hydraulic motor, said valve means including an external control button for operating same; and   said control valve means further including internal means for continuously urging said control button against said contact means for reciprocal movement into and out of the interior of said valve means for controlling the operation thereof and therefore the speed, acceleration and deacceleration of said hydraulic motor.   
     
     
       7. The improved loader apparatus of claim 6 wherein said contact means includes a plate member, said pivot means includes a pivot pin, and said biasing means includes a conventional tension spring. 
     
     
       8. The improved loader apparatus of claim 6 wherein said follower means includes a roller wheel operatively mounted by a wheel axle to one end of said elongated arm assembly, said roller wheel being rotatable about said wheel axle such that its outer peripheral surface continuously contacts said outer peripheral surface contour of said cam means for movement thereover as said cam means rotates about said cam shaft such that said elongated arm assembly moves back and forth with the passage of said roller wheel over the outer peripheral surface contour as said elongated arm assembly pivots about said pivot means and said contact means mounted to said opposite end thereof controllably reciprocates back and forth to move said control button of said control valve means into and out of said valve means for control purposes. 
     
     
       9. The improved loader apparatus of claim 6 wherein said elongated arm assembly includes a pair of elongated, spaced apart members each having a plane generally parallel to one another. 
     
     
       10. The improved loader apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cam means includes: a cam plate having a central aperture means for mounting said cam plate to said cam shaft for rotation therewith; and   said cam plate further having an outer peripheral surface, said surface having a predetermined contour for at least partially determining and controlling the speed, acceleration, and deacceleration of said hydraulic motor via said cam follower means and said value means.   
     
     
       11. The improved loader assembly of claim 10 wherein said outer peripheral surface contour of said cam plate includes: a first start position;   a first acceleration portion immediately following said start portio for rapidly accelerating said drive means to a predetermined full speed as rapidly as desired;   a first full speed portion immediately following said first acceleration portion for rapidly moving said carriage means upwardly along said wheel guide channels and over at least a portion of said downwardly curved upper end portion of said rail means;   a deceleration portion immediately following said first full speed portion for slowing to a second predetermined reduced speed as said carriage means approaches the end of said upper end portion of said rail means;   a second reduced speed portion immediately following said deceleration portion;   a relatively rapid second acceleration portion immediately following said second reduced portion;   a rapid snap-action type second deceleration portion to a full stop immediately following said second acceleration portion for maximizing the efficiency of emptying the content of the gripped refuse container into said front loading station; and   a dead space between the end of said rapid snap-action type second deceleration portion and said start portion serves no control function.   
     
     
       12. The improved loader assembly of claim 1 wherein said refuse container includes a generally cylindrical portion adapted to be retainably and releasably grasped by said gripping means and wherein said gripping means comprises: an arcuately curved base support member attached to the outer surface of said exterior carriage support means for movement therewith, said base support means having a first end portion, and opposite end portion, and a arcuately curved intermediate base portion therebetween, said arcuately curved intermediate base portion having an outwardly-facing concave surface dimensionally curved to abut one portion of said generally cylindrical portion of said refuse container during gripping operations;   a first, elongated, generally arc-shaped gripping arm having a first end portion operatively mounted to said exterior carriage support means adjacent said first end portion of said base support member, a second opposite distal end portion, and an intermediate, arcuately curved gripping portion therebetween, said intermediate arcuately curved gripping portion having a concave interior container-gripping surface dimensioned to fit snugly about a second portion of said generally cylindrical portion of said refuse container for gripably engaging same;   a second, elongated, generally arc-shaped gripping arm having a first end portion operatively mounted to said exterior carriage support means adjacent said opposite end portion of said base support member, a second opposite distal end portion, and an intermediate arcuately curved gripping portion having a concave interior container-gripping surface dimensioned to fit snugly about a third portion of said generally cylindrical portion of said refuse container for gripably engaging same;   hydraulic valve means operatively mounted to said exterior carriage support means for opening and closing said first and second gripping arms with respect to each other for releasing and retainably gripping said generally cylindrical portion of said refuse container therebetween, said container also abutting said concave surface of said base support means, respectively; and   means for selectively controlling said hydraulic valve means for retainably gripping and releasing said refuse container for refuse collection purposes.   
     
     
       13. An improved refuse collection system including a refuse truck having a truck cab for housing at least an operator, a truck frame, and a bed carried by said frame, said bed including an elongated bottom, a pair of longitudinal sides, a front end, and a rear tailgate defining a substantially hollow bed interior divided into an open top loading station and a refuse storage portion, said system including a refuse container-loading apparatus comprising: rail means operatively fixedly mounted to at least one of said truck frame and one side of said bed adjacent said open top loading station at substantially one side of said truck, said rail means including means for forming a first set of wheel channels and a drive chain channel, said rail means including a relatively vertical lower end portion and a partially semicircular arcuately downwardly turned upper end portion extending over said one side of said bed and facing on said open top loading station;   carriage means including wheel means operatively disposed within said set of wheel channels for up and down movement therein and having a down home position and an up dump position;   means operatively carried by said carriage means for retainably engaging and releasing a selected refuse container;   means operatively coupling said carriage means and said engaging and releasing means for extending said engaging and releasing means to a pick-up position a predetermined distance from said one side of said bed and spaced from said rail means for retainably engaging a refuse container to be emptied and releasing an emptied refuse container and retracting said engaging and releasing means to a home position adjacent said one side of said bed for enabling said carriage means to lift and lower same along said rail means for dumping purposes;   a single finite length of sprocket drive chain having first and second end portions which are unconnected from one another housed within said drive chain channel for up and down movement along said rail means;   means for operatively coupling and uncoupling said drive chain to said carriage means;   hydraulic motor means for driving said drive chain up and down said rail means; and   speed control responsive to the actual speed, acceleration and deceleration of said carriage means for automatically controllably adjusting the speed, acceleration and deceleration of said hydraulic motor means for minimizing the time required to lift a refuse can to be emptied, dump the contents thereof into said open top loading station and lower said emptied refuse container to said home position while simultaneously optimizing to dumping efficiency of system.